Essential to playing the sport of golf is the golf tee. As is well-known, the tee is utilized to prop up the golf ball above the surface of the ground to thus place the ball in optimal positioning during the initial shot from the tee box of a given hole. Typically, golf tees are made of wood or plastic, and are known to have extremely limited life spans insofar as the impact from the golf club thereagainst can, and almost always does, cause the tee to break or become permanently deformed. Indeed, it is not uncommon for golfers to utilize more than a dozen or so golf tees for a single round of golf.
As a consequence, the golf course, and more particularly the respective tee boxes of the respective holes of a given golf course, can and frequently do rapidly accumulate significant numbers of broken tees that become scattered thereabout. Such scattered tees are not only unsightly and require significant effort to insure that the same do not overly accumulate, but further can cause substantial damage to the golf course itself. In this regard, it is known that such golf tees can become deeply embedded within the tee box, which thus impedes the growth of grass. The latter phenomenon is especially likely due to the frequency by which divots are created as part of the tee-off shot. Indeed, it is widely recognized that the problem posed by broken tees often creates a situation where golfers may find it difficult to even find a suitable area upon the tee box from which to tee off. Moreover, the practice of using easily breakable and difficult to remove golf tees causes the respective tee boxes of the holes of a golf course, to become unsightly, which thus thwarts their aesthetic appeal and value added to the community.
In an attempt to address such problems, it is known in the art to attempt to manufacture golf tees from inert or biodegradable substances. For example, it is known to form golf tees out of compressed sawdust such that over time, the golf tee can disintegrate and blend into the soil. Problematic of such golf tees, however, is the fact that the same do not facilitate the re-growth of grass. Moreover, such golf tees further require prolonged periods of time by which the same achieve their intended purpose of disintegrating or otherwise becoming integrated into the soil. Accordingly, for the most part, such golf tees are generally no better than conventional tees.
Another practice employed to address the foregoing problems is to require golfers to repair the divots made in the tee box by virtue of the tee-off shot or, alternatively, pour a mixture of grass seed and sand at the site at which the divot was made. Although ideal for preserving the integrity of the golf course, and in particular the grounds of the tee-off boxes, such practice is problematic insofar as it relies upon the individual golfers to implement and abide by such procedures, and hence is unreliable. Furthermore, such practice is deficient insofar as the same does not address the issue of golf tees or portions thereof that become embedded within the surface of the tee box and remain therein for prolonged periods of time, if not indefinitely.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a biodegradable golf tee that easily and readily decomposes shortly after use. There is a further need in the art for a biodegradable golf tee that can actually improve the quality of the soil within which the same is embedded and, in particular, provide a fertilizing effect to grass planted therearound. There is still further need in the art for a biodegradable golf tee that, in addition to the foregoing properties, is capable of functioning as per conventional golf tees, and can be readily and easily utilized thereinstead.